


Under your wings

by TheYanini



Category: Naruto
Genre: Abuse, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Death, Falling In Love, Hyuuga Neji Lives, Love Confessions, M/M, Romance, Sexual Abuse, ShikaNeji - Freeform, Shikamaru is the best
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-20
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2020-01-20 20:03:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18532177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheYanini/pseuds/TheYanini
Summary: When Neji and Shikamaru slowly fall for each other the Hyuuga clan's strict rules make any sort of relationship impossible. How far will Shikamaru go to fight for Neji? Will Neji break under the loneliness and the cruelty his clan inflicts on him? A love story.Mentions of sexual abuse and character death.





	1. Chapter 1

Hello and welcome to the story for all you hardcore ShikaNeji fans out there! Hope there' still a few around!

Summary:  
When Neji and Shikamaru slowly fall for each other the Hyuuga clan's strict rules make any sort of relationship impossible. How far will Shikamaru go to fight for Neji? Will Neji break under the loneliness and the cruelty his clan inflicts on him? A love story.  
Mentions of sexual abuse and character death. 

 

Under your wings

 

Chapter One 

Shikamaru wasn't quite sure when he noticed Neji for the first time. Of course he'd technically known the Hyuuga since their academy days, thought it had been Hinata who had been in his class, not Neji who was one year older than them. But her cousin had made a name for himself early on. Everyone had known of the 'young Hyuuga genius' even then. Nobody was as talented, as smart, as fast a learner. 

But even though Shikamaru had always known who Hyuuga Neji was, he'd never really noticed him. He could not remember either of the young Hyuuga's ever spending any time around their peers, couldn't remember them playing as kids or even just seeing them outside of school. 

And while Hinata was quiet and shy, she had been well- liked by all her classmates. Neji however… Neji was just silent. Outright hostile if provoked but mostly just silent. Almost non- existent. 

Shikamaru realized how remarkably inconspicuous Neji was only much later, after the whole commotion after his and Hinata's fight during the Chunin exams and the whole bothersome Sasuke thing had died down again and Neji had quickly reverted back to giving the whole world the silent treatment. He did however start to show up to some of the overall team events, like the Cherry blossom viewing everyone did in spring, or a winter BBQ event Chouji had organized with great enthusiasm. 

Surely his teammates, TenTen and Rock Lee, had dragged the silent Hyuuga along but still… he was there. 

It was at the winter BBQ that Shikamaru had somehow taken more notice of his presence than normal. He was, of course, mostly silent, only exchanged occasional words with his teammates or an exuberant Naruto who either didn't notice the almost visible barrier around the personal space of the Hyuuga genius or decided to bravely ignore it. 

But Shikamaru noticed that he did not seem to hate being there at least. He didn't chatter or smile or… interact at all but he seemed calm and content. His good manners were showing at all times even when out for BBQ with his peers and he ate like he was having dinner with the Hokage; small bites, no mess, no spilling his drink and somehow he even managed to keep his long hair out of his food that he had taken to wearing mostly open now, only tying a very low ponytail down his back. 

Being the capable Shinobi that he was Neji had felt himself being stared at and looked up, meeting Shikamaru's gaze straight on. The Nara was already thinking of an excuse of why he'd been staring for the inevitable frown and possible confrontation - but Neji just gave a court nod and went back to his food. 

Dumbfounded Shikamaru had gone back to concentrating on his own meal but found himself looking at the other boy several more times during the evening. 

\----------  
The next time he remembered really noticing Neji was on a mission. Together with Kiba and Sakura they had been sent to take out some rogue ninjas near the border to Suna that were raiding villages, killing several civilians in their way. It had turned from a simple enough mission into an absolute shit fest within just a few hours. The enemy was a lot stronger than expected, several individuals had strong Kekke Genkais and there were a lot more foot soldier type henchmen than they had been aware of. 

Shikamaru's chakra had depleted quickly since he had to use his shadow techniques a lot more than he intended to and within just an hour or so of battle in the dense forrest they had lured the enemy into, his strength was beginning to fade fast. 

Jumping out of the way of Kiba and his dog companion Akamaru who were spinning past at break neck speed he found himself within the reach of a clone of one of the enemy ninja that manifested behind him in a puff of smoke. 

Knowing that he would not be able to get enough momentum to jump out of the way of the Kunai the masked man was about to launch at him he readied his shadows, stretched then as far as possible - but his chakra was weakened so much that the shadow he formed moved to slow, not fast or far enough to hinder the attack! Shikamaru instinctively raised his arms in front of his face to stop the kunai from boring straight into his skull. 

With the softest sound Neji landed in front of him, a flutter of white robes and long black hair that seemed almost weightless. A graceful gesture later the kunai was lodged in the bark of a tree right behind the Nara and the enemy stumbled and clutched at his chest after being on the receiving end of Neji's Kekke Genkai. 

Before the Nara could utter a word of thanks Neji disappeared in a flutter of black and white.

\--------

The next time they met was about a month later, when winter was on it's way out but the air was still cold and the trees were still bare. 

Shikamaru had just left for the Hokages office with an armful of books and documents he had been reading over the last few days and the extensive notes and suggestions he had made based on them. He didn't really want to complain too much about the Hokage having a lot of faith in him and requesting his input on strategic matters because he actually did kind of appreciate it. Strategy was his thing, after all, and working more directly under the Hokage was probably a great career move for him - if only it involved less work though! It wasn't like he wasn't assigned fewer missions or anything! He was just expected to juggle reading several books and files and coming up with all sorts of scenarios and solutions a week on top of everything else. Maybe he should have listened to his mother after all and taken a path towards medicine…. Then again that was probably just as much work plus involved the grossness factor of having to put up with all sorts of disgusting illnesses. Urgh. 

He didn't even attempt to hide his big yawn as he pushed open the door to the town hall and shifted the weight of his cargo to have a hand free. One of the scrolls slowly rolled of the heap of books and document folders and landed on the ground with a quiet thud. 

"Damnit" he cursed, awkwardly bending down without dropping any more stuff.  
A pale slender had appeared in his field of vision, picking of the scroll of lifting it. His eyes met the opaque gaze of Hyuuga Neji. The black haired male wordlessly handed him the scroll.

"Thanks." Shikamaru said, putting the scroll back on top of his staple.

"You're welcome." Neji said and made to move on but eyed Shikamaru's cargo.  
"Would you like some help?" he offered and Shikamaru was almost taken aback. He couldn't remember the aloof dark haired beauty ever offering help to anyone. He wasn't going to flatter himself but as small as the gesture was it seemed almost... special. 

"Yeah, sure... If you don't mind."

Neji wordlessly helped him bring the heap of scrolls upstairs and into the Hokage's office. He regretted having dragged Neji into this instantly when he heard the Hokage's loud brash voice before he had even fully entered her office.

"Shikamaru, finally! Oh and Neji, very good. While you're both here I need you to do something for me."

Doing something for her ended basically doing her paperwork. A lot of it. Shikamaru was mortified when after an hour they were still not quite done. 

"Hey, uhm…. Would you like to grab some dinner after this? As an apology for dragging you into this?"

Neji seemed to hesitate for a moment. 

"It's fine if…you're too busy." Shikamaru added, choosing the word 'busy' rather than saying 'It's fine if you don't want to'. Of course he'd said that to give Neji a way to politely decline the offer without insinuating anything. Not because it would be… hurtful… if Neji admitted that he did not want to waste even one dinner on him.

"I'm not too busy." Neji concluded after a moment that came very close to an awkward silence.  
"Where did you want to go?"

"Well, there's always Ichiraku's… but if you'd prefer somewhere quieter, there's a little teahouse not far from here that I like."

"I would prefer the latter."

\----

"I heard you're working hard towards a promotion to Jounin already." Shikamaru mentioned pretending not too sound too interested in Neji's private life.

"I am, of course. Aren't you?"

"Eeh… " Shikamaru said uninterestedly. "I'm not really in a hurry."

"How come?"

"I'm busy enough with all the stuff the Hokage wants me to do for her at the moment. If I make Jounin she'll probably try to force a Genin team on me too, which would be way too troublesome anyway."

"Only the most capable Jounin can become teachers so it's seen as an honour."

"I mean - I guess that's true but… "

"Wouldn't…." Neji halted for a moment as if unsure whether he could really ask the next question. "Wouldn't your parents expect it of you as heir to your Clan?"

Shikamaru smiled warily. "I guess they wouldn't mind but they know I've no ambition to become a teacher right now. I think they don't really care too much what I do as long as I don't slack off too much… I could have specialized in medicine too, if I had wanted that but it would have been…"

"Too troublesome?"

"Yeah."

They took a few bites in silence before Shikamaru's curiosity won.

"What about you?"

Neji looked down at the table for a moment.

"I guess it's different for me. Being a branch member of my clan."

Shikamaru took a sip from his cup, sensing that they were about to delve further into Neji's world than ever before.  
"How so?"

"I'm expected to become a Jounin. After that… it depends on what the clan elders want. I might just be made a guard to Hinata-sama. "

"I'm sorry, it might be too forward of me to ask…" the Nara started, for once remembering his manners. "I'm just curious. If it was up to you… what would you want to do?"

Neji stared at him. Nobody had ever asked him such a question. He was never asked much of anything at all.. He was ordered. If anything, he was informed of accomplished facts, none of which required his opinion.

"I guess… maybe ANBU. But I don't think that I would be allowed to pursue that path as it would take me away from the village too much. That's not really what is the norm for a branch member."

'ANBU, huh? Shikamaru thought to himself. How rebellious.'

"Well, I'm sure you'll be brilliant at whatever you'll end up doing."  
Shikamaru nearly cringed at his own words (where had that even come from?) but seeing Neji's tiny smile made it worth the embarrassment.

After that spontaneous meeting Shikamaru and Neji started running into each other just a little bit more often. 

\------------------------------

Hyuuga Hiroto was a main branch member. The kind that liked to let others feel that he was their superior. All branch member quickly scattered when Hiroto stepped into the courtyard of the Hyuuga compound, pretending to be busy or needed elsewhere. Hiroto had a habit of reminding branch members of their status publicly, verbally at best, with help of the seal at worst.  
Neji avoided him as best as he could but as to be expected the proud Hyuuga branch member was Hiroto's favourite target. Even if they didn't meet more than once a month or so, whenever they did Neji was left seething and hurt. 

Neji spotted him entering the courtyard where he had been doing some light training with Hanabi. He immediately lowered his eyes, trying not to attract the elders' attention. 

"Let's try one more time, Hanabi-sama", he instructed his younger cousin gently "But move your hands more like-"

"Neji."

The young man refrained from rolling his eyes in annoyance as to be spared the humiliation of having his seal activated out in the open in the middle of the day.

"Yes, Hiroto-sama."

Hiroto's face remained cold and impassive.  
"Come with me, I have a job for you to do."

"Yes, Hiroto-sama."

"Well, Neji." Hiroto started as they walked back into the main part of the compound. "It seems your first Omiai is coming up soon. Hiashi seems to think that you're worth the trouble. Personally, I'm not convinced that you are".

Hiroto opened a door that Neji with some dread realized led to an almost unused storage room. He was ushered in and the door slammed shut behind Hiroto. The room was fairly dark and the bit of sun coming through the closed shutters hit the strong contours of Hiroto's face, making him look vicious and predatory.

"I saw you hanging around that Nara boy."

Neji's stomach dropped.

"Would you care to elaborate what relationship you have with him?

"I don't have any-"  
�"Liar. Your uncle appears to think that you are sticking to the rules, but I saw how you looked at that boy. And I don't believe that there is nothing going on."

He grabbed Neji's hair viciously. 

"I know exactly what you've been up to, you little bitch. Did you enjoy dishonouring your clan at least?"

The pull on his hair was painful but even more so was the humiliation of the action. Neji tried desperate to keep his nerves steady, to keep it together until the man would let him go after 'putting him in his place'.

"I don't think you're worth wasting time with arranging Omiais. But maybe you can redeem yourself in a different way."

Now Neji struggled to get away, heatedly wishing that he could shut down the elder's chakra points and maybe claw his eyes out for good measure but trying - trying so hard- to control himself and not provoke a seal activation. If that happened there was no way he could protect himself from whatever was to come.

Why were men alwaysso horrible to him? Why was it, that if anyone showed any interest in him, it was always disgusting, aggressive barbarians like that?

Hiroto tried to force his head closer to the middle of his body but Neji clawed at his hands with as much force as he could, actually breaking skin.

Hiroto lost his patience then, struck him hard across the face several times, then dropped him onto the ground hard and activated the cursed seal. Neji's vision exploded in white hot pain and he passed out after just a minute of torture.

\------

Neji woke up with a splitting headache. He was disoriented for a moment, the daylight coming through the window brightly, sending a wave of stinging ache through his brain.  
He could hear steps softly padding on the tatami floor and assumed it was Hinata who thoughtfully closed the blinds to lessen his pain a bit.

"Neji-Nii-san" she called him softly, speaking quietly as to not hurt him more. Sadly, this was not the first time she had seen him like that, although it didn't happen all too often, it was still a shock whenever it did happen.

"Hinata-sama" he croaked, his throat feeling sore. Had he been screaming before he'd passed out? He couldn't remember. Hinata was already by his side with a glass of water, gently helping him drink a few sips.

"How long was I….?"

"Almost 24 hours. Father was not happy he had to postpone your Omiai."

"Who found me?"

"Hanabi did."

"…"

"She said that Hiroto-sama activated the seal on you."

Neji knew that his sweet innocent cousins hadn't made the connection to Hiroshi-sama having a sexual motive yet. He couldn't bring himself to tell them either. 

"…"

"I think she came at just the right moment to prevent you from being seriously hurt."

"…"

"Nii-san, I… I'm sorry that this happened. I haven't told father about it because I didn't think you would want that. But I want to help you. I don't want this to happen to you again." Her voice was a little shaky but she wasn't crying.  
"I will work hard. If father officially names me as the heiress I will be able to help you. I can tell him to leave you alone."

"It's not your responsibility, Hinata-sama."

"I'm on your side, Nii-San. I'll do my best for you, I promise."

Neji just nodded, not trusting himself to say anythig more. 

________________

In the few weeks following his encounter with Hiroto-sama Neji tried to limit his time seeing Shikamaru. Not because he was tired of seeing the other boy but because his heart would give an uncomfortable squeeze every time he did. He could feel it, a wall of intense confusing feelings that would come tumbling down like an avalanche and bury all his reason underneath it.

He tried to keep it all under wraps and shield his expressions from betraying his complicated feelings. It was simple self preservation, Neji thought. If he wasn't so close to the other boy then he wouldn't be tortured by the seal activation or the blossoming feeling of longing in his chest.

Unfortunately the Nara boy did not seem to notice.

And one day Shikamaru asked the inevitable, when they were walking home from having tea together in that same little tea house.

"Hey...I'm sorry if I'm being too forward but..."

Neji could see he was steeling himself with a deep breath for his next words and Neji just wished he wouldn't. 

"I uhm... I've been really enjoying the time we spent together recently and... I apologize if I misinterpreted this whole thing but I if you would like to, I uhm... I would like to ask you out on a date on Saturday."

It was the best and worst thing that Shikamaru could have possibly said. Neji felt an adrenaline surge shoot through his blood that made him want to bolt and not have to face this. But it wasn't fair to hurt Shikamaru's feeling and he had to give him a proper answer, even if it wasn't what the other man wanted to hear. 

"I… I can’t." Neji hesitated, his glance quickly darting to the ground. His head felt like it was spinning.  
"I’m sorry".  
   
Shikamaru kept looking at him to see if Neji would offer more of an explanation but the boy was silent and refused to meet his eyes.

Shikamaru sighed. "It’s ok…"  
Had he really misinterpreted the signals? Was the fleeting glances and careful smiles just the Hyuuga's way of being friendly?  
   
"It’s not because of you.", Neji added, perhaps a little bit rushed. “It’s just…”He glanced up, finally meeting Shikamaru's eyes. "We're not allowed to date… neither me or my cousins."

"It's a clan rule..." he added softly after seeing the other boy's sceptical expression. "It's expected that we go to properly arranged Omiais and marry someone of the Clan's choosing."

Neji absently glanced up as a flock of white birds flew past over them.

"I don't have the freedom to say yes to your proposition…" He said quietly. "But I thank you for it. I... I really appreciate it."

He felt terrible for both of them having to say those words. Shikamaru was so brave to confess to him like this but Neji was a Hyuuga branch member. There really was nothing he could give the other boy that wouldn't end in suffering for them both. 

The words simultaneously stung and relieved Shikamaru. Neji hadn't said 'I just don't like you in that way' which was better than having been rejected on account of who or how he was. Though wasn't this maybe even worse? That the Hyuuga clan rules were robbing Neji of this elemental freedom that most of their generation had and took for granted?

"I have to ask..." Shikamaru started, gathering his courage and a deep breath for the only question that mattered now. "Would you have said yes if it was up to you?"

Neji hesitated a moment to ponder the question. What would be less hurtful? To answer "yes" and admit to Shikamaru that there may have been a chance and possibly leading him on or to answer "no" and hurt his feelings?

It was Neji's turn to sigh dejectedly.

"Yes." he said softly. "I would have said yes. I'm sorry that I can't." 

With that he turned to continue on his way, leaving Shikamaru behind without glancing back.

\--------

The next few days brought a cold wind into Konoha that carried dark clouds heavy with rain. It fit Shikamaru's mood nicely. He was slumped half sitting half laying down in front of his bed, a half played and long forgotten game of Shogi in front of him. It was the unfairness of the situation that was unbearable. Perhaps it would have been better if Neji rejected him for him and not because of an stupid old-fashioned clan rule. He couldn't help but wonder… who would his uncle introduce him to in his Omiais? Would they be Hyuuga clansmen, cold and with no feelings for Neji, only obeying the Clan's orders? Would they make sure to marry him off to a main branch member to keep him under control? Or would it be a complete stranger?

The thought seemed so foreign to Shikamaru. While he was the heir to one of the oldest Clans in Konoha and his parents would certainly try and find him a match in the form of an Omiai as well, they wouldn't actually force him to marry someone he didn't want. Firstly because they knew he was not the most charismatic or the most agreeable man around and forcing him would only lead to a bitter divorce - but also because they had always valued his opinion enough to let him make his own choices. They supported him in just about anything he did, little as that was. Sure, his mother nagged him about all sorts of things but never force anything that would alter the course of his life. It was more the 'clean your damn room' kind of nagging he got.

Shikamaru suddenly had a newfound appreciation for his parent's comparatively progressive views.

But Neji - all young Hyuugas?- had to bow to the complexity of the clans rules that dictated everything from what they wore to who they had to marry. The thought left him feeling almost sick. What a strange thought, Neji being introduced to a stranger in an Omiai, going through a wedding ceremony with someone he hardly knew, spending their wedding ni- No. No. No. He would not imagine that. He wouldn't even think it. 

Suddenly he felt oddly dirty, thinking of Neji in that way, like he had just invaded the other boy's privacy in a way that was not okay. Like Neji would resent him for it if he knew. Would he? He rubbed his eyes with both hands, smoothed back his dark hair that had deteriorated into an even messier ponytail than usual and got to his feet. There was no point sitting around moping. He would go find a distraction. Surely Chouji's company would be able to take his mind off of things.

\--------------------

 

As always, Chouji's cheerful demeanour made him feel better. Getting distracted with snacks also helped a bit and his dark mood lifted for a while.

Until Chouji said "I'll be going to a cousin's wedding next week." and he was reminded of the current situation.  
"That's nice", he forced himself to say.

"Yeah, I think it's going to be good. She went to school with this guy and all, so It'll be pretty relaxed I think. I don't like these really stuffy ceremonies."

"Yeah… me neither".

"Are you okay?" Chouji asked, noticing an edge to his friend's tone. Unusual for Shikamaru, especially about a topic such as this. Lazy complacency would have been expected but Shikamaru almost sounded…angry?

"Yeah, sure." 

"Is something going on?"

"No."

"You can tell me."

"There's nothing to say."

"I don't believe you. I can tell when something's bothering you."

"I'm not-"

"Did you have a fight with your parents?"

"No."

"Ino?"

"No."

"Asuma-sensei?"

"What? No."

Chouji studied him intently for a moment in a way that Shikamaru really did not appreciate. 

"Are you… lovesick or something?"

Shikamaru just stared at him. How on earth could this guy read him so damn well? 

"Don't be ridiculous." He countered instead. "Look, I better go, Dad wanted me to help out with the deer and it looks like it going to rain soon".

Being the observant friend that Chouji was he noticed that his friend had not even once looked in the direction of the window. 

"Sure, no problem", he said amiably. "I'm going to be on a mission for a couple days but I'll come visit once I'm back".

"Yeah, cool. See you then." 

Chouji stared at his friend as he got up and left. 

'Interesting….'


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

 

Yoshino Nara had fought hard to get her son to wear a proper outfit for his first Omiai. It had been a struggle but her boy was wearing a dark green Haori with the Nara crest on the back, a plain white Hakama underneath and black trousers. He really did look the part of a Clan heir all dressed up like this. Handsome too, if but for his eternal slouch that she kept on hitting him in the back for so he would straighten up for gods sake. 

Shikamaru was indifferent to the whole Omiai thing and had no intention to actually go through with anything if he was honest. Omiais were kind of a formality amongst the bigger clans and while he couldn't care less about what other people thought of him if he straight out refused any Omiais, his mother would be embarrassed on his part and make a whole big thing out of it all.   
So the easiest thing to do was tag along, exchange the necessary pleasantries with whomever he was supposed to meet and then politely say "No, thank you." once it was all said and done.

The stuffy clothes were annoying, having to get up before noon was annoying and having to pretend to be happy to see someone he'd never met was the most annoying thing of all. But he'd play the game, do the absolute minimum he could get away with and go back to bed straight after.

The one thing he had not calculated in was running into a certain someone on the way.   
Hinata was chatting happily walking next to her cousin, a paper bag filled with groceries that she must have bought at the market in her hand, oblivious to her classmate's presence.

Neji's light eyes bored into his the moment he spotted him. Shikamaru knew that Neji must have assumed straight away that he was on the way to an Omiai - there wasn't really any reason for the boy and his parents to be dressed in their best clothes on a regular day. What Shikamaru hadn't anticipated was the opaque eyes widening in what seemed to be surprise, then abruptly avert their gaze and avoid him. 

He had a sudden impulse to go over to his…friend (?) but he was ushered along by his parents. Besides, what would he say?

'It's not what it looks like'?   
'This doesn't mean anything to me'? 

He didn't even know if Neji liked him at all. The odds were certainly against him. Neji, proper Neji with his noble upbringing and knack for etiquette and crazy ambition would surely want a partner with similar views on these things. In fact, his Clan would chose a husband for him and that would be that. And Shikamaru, though not too humble to admit that he was an asset to the village and good at what he did, was probably not what the holier-than-though Hyuugas would seem suitable. Plus, Neji had made it very clear that he could not even go on a date with anyone due to his Clan's rules, even if he would have been prepared to let Shikamaru take him out for dinner or something. He had let him down kindly and had then proceeded to ignore Shikamaru since then so surely, in Neji's eyes the matter was over and done with.

But then why that reaction from Neji? And why did this feeling of dread resonate within himself so strongly, spreading in his chest like wildfire?

The Omiai didn't go very well after that. Shikamaru didn't feel like talking to the poor girl and didn't even make the effort to remember her name. She'd been nice enough, pretty but not flashy and of a quiet nature that Shikamaru may have even appreciated in a better mood. 

But all he could think of where the white eyes that had avoided him.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To say that Neji was unpopular with the main house was an understatement.   
They actively loathed his very existence.

To say that he didn't understand why would have been a lie. 

Mostly it was because he had openly rebelled during the Chunin exams and openly attacked Hinata to the point that a referee had to stop the fight. It wasn't only the attack itself. He had said too much, made his anger towards his clan publicly known. And it was not his place to criticize. As a branch member, he was barely more than a servant within his clan. And the only reason why he hadn't suffered fatal consequences for this level of disrespect was because of his uncle. It was only thanks to his direct relation to Hyuuga Hiashi, his own young age and his uncles' guilt over his father's death that he was still alive. 

Hiashi had promised the clan elders that he would personally see to it that Neji become more obedient and never dishonour the clan ever again. And Neji, after a stern lecture from his uncle had accepted his fate. The fact that some of the clan elders had ambushed him and activated his seal until he passed out from the pain may have also had something to do with it. 

Having the seal sear your brain was the worst kind of pain. Nothing else compared to it. No wound that had ever been inflicted on him - not even the horrendous, scarring flesh wounds Kidomarou had caused- had been as unbearable as the seal being activated. It was as if his skull was cracking open, as if his brain was on fire… as if his eyes were about to burst out of their sockets.

The next day he had been alive but more miserable than ever before. The pain in his head lingered on for another two days, a dull throbbing that reminded him of his place in life. Even his wounded pride could not sting with the same ferocity. 

He had accepted his fate.  
He knew what was expected of him and what was coming. It was nothing new. 

But the thought of his first Omiai was making his stomach churn. His uncle hadn't even mentioned who he was meeting, only that there was to be an Omiai the day after tomorrow and that he make sure his best Kimono was pressed and presentable until then.

So he had gone and brought his ceremonial outfit to the clan's preferred launderer, handed over the garments to be cleaned and pressed and turned to make his way back home. He felt strange. As if handing over the garments had somehow meant he was giving up something. An Omiai did not automatically mean that there was going to be an engagement but still… he felt… apprehensive? What if his uncle decided that his first Omiai was also going to be his last and found whatever suitor he'd invited suitable enough for his nephew?

He thought left him cold. Empty. Sad.

If his father had been born only minutes earlier he would not have to worry so much. He would have had more of a say. His opinion would have been valued more and he would not feel as if one word spoken by his uncle could destroy the rest of his life. 

He wouldn't feel so helpless. 

He wouldn't feel so worthless.

Neji forced himself to keep his face impassive and emotionless but he could feel the emotions simmer hotly under the surface. Things could have been so different. 

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"You have to be quick now, Nii-san, there's only an hour before your Omiai." were Hinata's kind words that woke him late the next morning. Neji threw his hands to his face in desperation. That damn Omiai. God, he hated this all so much.

He took a deep breath and steeled himself. If he was going to do this, he was going to appear strong and proud. He would not crumble. 

"Hinata-sama, would you go to the cleaners to get my clothes for me? I need to take a bath."

\--------

The Omiai was very traditional. Hiashi as Neji's closest relative was present in his fathers' stead. An odd constellation that perhaps portrayed a closer bond between them then there really was. Neji would probably preferred for him not to be there but of course tradition demanded the father -or substitute- to be present and make the final decision on whether the Neji and the guest would be a good match. It was very strange and if he was honest with himself - completely terrifying to have a man who barely knew him on a personal level decide his fate in this manner.

Their guest were a bureaucrat from the Daimyo's court and his son. The similarities between them were striking, both had thin, haggard looking faces with thin dirty blond hair and the same sly eyes that regarded Neji so intently that he was forced to supress a shiver down his spine.

This type of person he would normally do just about anything to avoid, if not openly scorn them. Neji considered himself fairly good at reading other people and this boy was certainly not one he wanted to get any closer to then he was currently forced to be. Conniving schemers as long as things went well, snivelling cowards when threatened in the slightest. Neji could see in the boy's eyes that he was less interested in Neji prowess as a Shinobi or his intellect but rather saw him as a trophy he could show of to his friends. 'Look, I get myself a Hyuuga!'

The thought made Neji simultaneously raging with anger and sick to his stomach.   
Surely, his uncle would not be so eager to get rid of him that he would just hand him over to the first snivelling idiot who came knocking?

Neji couldn't really tell what his uncles intensions were, his face an impenetrable marble surface which didn't give away a hint of emotion. As head of the Clan, Hiashi asked the necessary questions one was supposed to ask a suitor (Age, occupation, future plans) and Neji became increasingly worried. Yes, on paper the boy's status was impressive enough, if only there wasn't this certainty in Neji that his position was bought or inherited, rather than honestly deserved. He was wealthy, ambitious and of a good family. 

If only Neji wasn't so completely and utterly disgusted by him.

"I think it is time we let your son and my nephew exchange a few words in private." Hiashi said after all the questions has been sufficiently answered. It was tradition to give the young suitor just a few unsupervised minutes so they could ask some questions of their own and get to know each other. Neji nearly longed to cling onto Hiashi's Yukata and be dragged away with him but embrarassing the head of clan in front of visitors surely would not help his case so he quickly dispersed his childish longing and stayed seated just where he was as his uncle and the boy's father left the room.

As soon as the door slid shut and two gleeful eyes fixated on him he wished he'd found some sort of excuse.

"So…. A branch member, huh?" asked the boy, a large grin on his face and his posture suddenly slumped with his elbows on the low table. Neji remained kneeling upright.

"Indeed."

"Now, now, no need to be so cold. Everyone knows that Hyuuga branch members are basically just servants. So no need to act all high and mighty."

The boy reached out to touch his hair but Neji moved backwards just enough to stay out of reach.

The boy was on his feet in seconds, rounding the table to get closer to him. Neji tensed but did not move.

"The truth is that your uncle wants to be rid of you. You're causing him too much trouble. You don't know your place."

A hand reached out to touch Neji again, this time less gently, but looking to tangle in his hair. The Hyuuga was on his feet now, too.

"Don't touch me." He hissed, standing defensively.

"You need a husband who can control you." The boy spat, ignoring Neji's words and reaching for him again. He was no shinobi though and had no chance of touching the other boy. Neji was fast.

"You think I can't." he stated, staring at Neji as if to try and read his mind. "You think that because I'm not a shinobi, I can't control you. But you haven't taken into account that the curse seal can be adapted."

"You're lying."

"I can assure you I'm not. You're not the first Hyuuga branch member to marry into my family. Do you think we'd accept you unless we had control over the seal?"

Neji's stomach sank.

"You're surprisingly naïve." laughed the boy, once more coming closer, forching Neji to circle to low table.

"Now how about you do something nice for me and then I might be inclined to treat you nicely in return?"  
His hand quickly made to work on his Hakama, loosening the string in the front.

For a moment Neji was too shocked to say anything. The impudence of this boy asking such thing of him in his own house and their Omiai nonetheless just stunned him for a moment.   
He wasn't quite sure whether he wanted to cry or rage but the boy tried to grab him again so he fluidly moved out of the way of his hands and without any further words, opened the sliding door to the garden and disappeared like a ghost.

They boy had just a moment that straighten his clothes before Hiashi followed by his father stepped back into the room. Hiashi did not inquire as to his nephew's whereabouts and just raised his eyebrow slightly at the open door.

"What do you think, son?" Asked the bureaucrat at his son's gleeful expression.

"I think I relish the challenge, father."

Once the esteemed visitors had left, Neji made it clear to his uncle in no uncertain terms that he would never meet that boy again. Hiashi listened silently quietly to Neji's tirade and admitted that perhaps a more suitable candidate could be found.

An honest man, preferably one with a backbone, that's all Neji wanted. Neji bitterly thought of a certain young man with warm brown eyes, fierce intellect and that pleasant calm demeanour. He promised himself that he would not accept a horrid man-child like the one he was just forced to meet. He wouldn't give in to the pressure of someone like that. He wouldn't.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Hiroto-sama suddenly took more of an interest in him and would appear out of nowhere whenever Neji could not avoid the Clan by hiding in his room. When they were eating - the branch house sitting separated from the main house- he could feel eyes on him, watching him eat. Neji pretended not to notice and would continue to eat in silence. When he was sparing with Hinata or Hanabi in the courtyard Hiroto-sama would look down onto them from the gallery, when they were working on target training in the wooded part behind the Hyuuga complex, he would walk past as if he had reason to be there. Neji knew that he was being followed but once Hinata picked up on it he knew Hiroto-sama had given up on appearing to be subtle altogether.

"It may just be my imagination…" Hinata began, carefully studying her cousins expression. "But it seems to me that Hiroto-sama has been making an appearance more often recently…"

Neji sighed in defeat and finally told her about his recent indiscretion.

"Nii-San! That's not right, he cannot force you into….!" Her hands made a sweeping motion when she could not seem to find the right word to describe the situation. 

"You know there's not much I can do.."

"But surely there must be a rule against behaviour like that."

"There is…for the main house" Neji admitted defeatedly. "The branch family is not officially included in this rule. And anyway, if I was to complain, it would be Hiroto-sama's word against mine. And you know that I would not win a dispute like that."

Hinata paused, her delicate features marred by an uncharacteristical frown.

"I understand Nii-San. I will try to think of something."

\---------------------------------------------

Hinata quickly turned out to be a most valuable ally. Pretending to take a sudden interest in the running of the Clan she managed to keep the main house members busy showing her their respective areas of responsibility in great detail. Coincidentally, the responsibilities of Hiroto-sama, which included the monitoring and enforcement of the Clan's internal rules, were of the greatest interest to the young heiress and she managed to redirect a lot of his time and attention to herself in the few weeks following her and Neji's conversation. Whenever Neji would pass by and Hiroto-sama's gaze began to stray towards him, Hinata would make up a flurry of questions to distract him. Being unable to deny the young mistress Hiroto-sama had to grit his teeth in a pretend smile and explain to her whatever she wanted to know. 

Neji felt a newfound surge of affection for his cousin who had become his greatest confidant.  
Even Hanabi, without having been confided in seemed to sense that something was going on and would help her cousin out by asking him to spar outside the complex whenever Hiroto-sama appeared to be anywhere near.

 

Another Omiai came and passed just when the cherry blossoms began to open in early spring. It was a boring affair with a quiet boy who was at least a year younger than Neji and seemed rather terrified of him. After the guests had left Neji and Hiashi just shared one glance that made it clear that neither had been very impressed by the young suitor.

And then there was Shikamaru. 

Though Neji had resigned himself to not seeking out the Nara heir in private anymore they were still placed on missions together. And Neji could see why. Their respective skills just went perfectly together, each brining something to the battle that the other could not.

Shikamaru had not tried to approach him beyond mission-related matters but Neji could feel his eyes on him whenever his back was turned or he was concentrating on some task. Unlike Hiroto-sama, whose continued staring made Neji feel unsafe and sick to his stomach, Shikamaru's attention gave him a warm, welcome feeling that he savoured as much as possible. One time their fingers touched when the other man handed him a food ration pack and he had felt the pleasant tingle of Shikamaru's warm fingers for the next two hours. 

He felt like a complete idiot for it. 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Shikamaru flopped down on his bed in a graceless heap. 

He had it bad for Neji, that much he knew. And it was the stupidest thing to do - falling in love with someone you couldn't have. "Why does it have to be him?" he asked into the emptiness of his room not expecting an answer. He didn't need one anyway. He liked Neji for a lot of things - his smarts, his strength, his passion, and this subtle sense of humour he had gotten to know over the last few months. The fact that Neji was ridiculously beautiful also didn't hurt of course.

'There must be something I can do.' Shikamaru thought gritting his teeth. The Hyuuga Clan was extremely strict, controlling the lives of its' members tightly. But it was also an ancient Clan, older than most other Clans in existence and rumoured to be descended directly from Kaguya and her god-like descendants. Surely, in the centuries of its' existence someone else had wanted to be released from the branch family and found a way?

'There must be a loophole somewhere.' He thought, wondering if Neji would take the chance to get out of the Clan if he could come up with an idea or whether the Clan hierarchies were stronger than whatever Neji felt for him.

He couldn't make the decision for Neji but maybe he could help him level the playing field so that Neji was at least able to make a decision at all. If he was rejected, he would take it like a man and get over it. But giving up outright... ? 

Neji was worth trying for.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks to everyone leaving Kudo's and reviews, you guys are great :) 

 

\------

Pein arrived in Konoha just days later. 

The destruction was unbelievable, death and despair on a larger scale than Shikamaru had ever seen. It was as if nothing was strong enough to withstand the opposing powers of Naruto and Pein, walls crumbled, roofs collapsed, rubble lay everywhere in the streets and the injured and dead trapped underneath. Konoha was fighting for its' very existence.

Shikamaru was fighting with everything he had, as where the rest of the rookie 9, their parents and their peers. When the fighting ended Ino-Shika-Chou had been battling the away from the centre of the fight between Naruto and Pein. The last few blasts had been so close and so loud that his ears were ringing and he felt slightly dizzy. He was half-running, half stumbling to where he could see Naruto's blond mane in an almost perfectly round spot of even brown soil and burnt grass, undoubtedly created by a powerful jutsu. He could see a dark haired person kneeling close to him, a girl... -Hinata!- and she was holding something in her arms. 

Someone.

Neji. 

Shikamaru stopped running, his legs taking a few last stumbling steps from the momentum before he came to a halt. There was blood, he could see it from 80 feet away. Long thick branch-like structures protruded from Neji's unmoving body, Hinata frantically moving her hands trying to re-direct his Chakra flow. But it was clear. Neji was dying.

Shikamaru felt a surge of energy, wanted to run, to scream but he was frozen in place.   
Neji was dying. He was bleeding out right in front of him. And there was absolutely nothing he could do.   
Sakura and Ino ran past him in a flash but he still could not move.

Neji was dying.

He felt Chouji's large warm hand on his shoulder and wordlessly looked at his best friend.  
He didn't have to say anything. Chouji understood.

Slowly he inched closer to the scene as most of the rookie 9 had. He stood next to Rock Lee who was crying but trying not to make a sound watching Sakura and Ino frantically try to heal the large, heavily bleeding wounds, desperately trying to save his life. 

Then Neji stopped breathing and the world came crashing down.  
Shikamaru could barely remember Chouji's large hand steering him away from the scene.

\---------------

He woke up slowly, like from a long deep dream. There was a light breeze in the room, warm dry air pleasant on his skin. He felt battered though. He remembered the fight. The desperation. And how hard he'd fought. How he had jumped in front of Hinata. He wondered briefly if all of his friends and clan had survived the battle. His legs and chest felt heavy and he could tell that he had only barely made it this time. 

He had only felt this bad after the fight with Kidoumaru. It was hard to breathe. He brought his hand up to feel his chest - those branches had pierced his chest in several places - but he couldn't feel anything abnormal under the thin blanket, only a dull pain and the tell- tale sizzle of foreign chakra.

He just lay there for a while, not moving. He felt calm, almost as if he hadn't just had a brush with death. He wondered how long he had been out this time. He noticed that he was in a tent, alone. Daylight shine through the beige material but didn't brighten up the room all that much. There was only his plain, fold-up sick bed, a few water canisters and boxes of medical supplies on the floor. 

 

He was dozing for a while, trying to remember the last moment before he had passed out from the blood loss. Hopefully Hinata was safe. And everyone else. Shikamaru.

He drifted in and out of sleep for a few hours before he decided that he needed a drink of water more than any more sleep. It took a lot more effort than expected to sit up and he was sweaty and exhausted by the time he'd inched his legs over the edge of the bed and carefully put his weight on them.

His clothes had not yet been changed, which was unsurprising considering the damage that had been done to village. His white robes had been cut open to allow the medic mind access to his wounds no doubt. It was loosely tied back together but didn't really hold together very well anymore.

There was a small makeshift wash basin sitting on a staple of boxes with a small scratched up mirror just leaning against the wall. 

He assessed his reflection for a moment. He looked like hell but all things considered he didn't seem to have too many wounds beyond the raw red skin on his chest he could barely see under his torn up shirt. His face was paler than usual, a few purple bruises and dark scratches offset in stark contrast. He felt dirty and sweaty. He picked up a water canister from the floor to fill the bowl and grabbed a small clean cloth from a nearby pile and soaked it. He would appreciate a proper bath soon but for now a quick wash would have to be enough. 

The cool water felt good on his face, making him feel a lot more awake than he'd felt before. His Hitai- Ate still set atop his forehead, scratched up and battered but it had held on.   
He gently untied the knot at the back of his head and then unwrapped the bandages he usually wore underneath just in case. He tossed them to the floor as they were too dirty to be reused. 

Hinata arrived at that moment to check on her cousin. She was worried about him still - he was alive and Sakura and Ino had managed to stem the blood flow from his devastating wounds just in time to keep him alive, but he had been at deaths door and not woken up for three whole days since then. She kept checking up on him several times a day but whenever she came by he was sleeping uneasily, as if plagued by nightmares.

When she lifted the flap of the tent to get inside, Neji was not in his bed but she could see the top of his head behind a tall stack of boxes. He was awake!

"Hi..Hinata..?" 

His voices sounded unsure - frightened even - and he had forgotten about the suffix "-sama" which she resented hearing from him but now that he had left it out her blood ran cold immediately. 

"Neji-Nii-san, yes, it's me.. Is everything ok?"

"I.. I'm not sure, can you come over here? I think I might be going insane…"

She was by his side within seconds. "Nii-san, what's-?!" 

Her voice broke as she saw it. Or rather, didn’t see it. The curse seal on Neji forehead - it was gone!  
Eradicated without a trace, as if it had never been there. 

Neji's wide eyes stared back at her, his eyes full of disbelief but also fear. There were dark circles under his eyes and they looked puffy and red, as if he'd rubbed them really hard.

"It's gone, Hinata. It’s just…gone."

Tears welled up in his eyes.   
"What am I going to do now?" 

Hinata's slim arms were around him in a second and she pressed them closely together in a tight hug.

"Whatever you want to. You're free now, Neji!"

 

\----------------

 

A Nara clan member found Shikamaru in the garden, where it was lying in the grass, forlornly staring up at the sky. His wounds from the battle were mostly healed now, but he wasn't quite back to normal yet. A deep cut on his ankle made it difficult to stand for too long and he had been told not to strain it too much. He had helped clearing up the main parts of the Nara Clan residence, which was luckily a bit out of the way and hadn't suffered too much damage.   
His mother had not been injured thankfully but his father had been inside a building when it collapsed and a slab of wall had fallen on top of him, crushing his leg. He would probably never walk again without a cane, but he was alive. 

"Shikamaru." The clan member called him, his typical Nara face showing a mixture of annoyance and boredom. "There is someone here to see you, a girl from the Hyuuga clan."

Shikamaru was on his feet within a second. That could only be Hinata. Had she come with bad news? Was Neji..? He stormed to the main entrance as fast as his injured foot would let him. And sure, it was Hinata.

"Shikamaru-kun." She greeted politely, formally giving a very small bow.   
"Neji-Nii-San is awake. He has asked to see you, if you're available?"

"Sure. Just - let me just get my shoes, ok?"

Together they were on their way down to the makeshift outdoor hospital just minutes later. There was a myriad of near identical beige tents spread out over a valley which had been relieved of all its vegetation during the battle between Naruto and Pein. 

"You have gotten very close to my cousin in recent months, haven’t you, Shikamaru-kun?" Hinata started quietly as they were making their way down.

"I guess...?"

Shikamaru noticed that the girl stared at him more intently then he could ever remember her doing. Had Neji told her that he had asked him out?

"Thankfully it seems that he is going to be alright. I would never have forgiven myself if he had lost his life protecting me… But Shikamaru-kun…?"

"Yes?"

The came to a halt in front of a tent and Hinata gestured at him to enter.

"I think his life is going to be very different from now on. I hope that he will be able to count on your support as a friend."

She left him with those cryptic words and Shikamaru was nervous all of a sudden. What did she mean 'his life would be different?' He steeled himself against whatever he might see or learn once he entered the tent. He could only hope that Neji was okay. 

Inside the tent it was a little darker than outside, the light fabric not letting in all the daylight.   
"Neji?" He called gently and the boy who had been sitting on his bed turned to look at him immediately.

"Shikamaru…"

He looked well, thank god. All limbs were attached, he had been given new clothes and beyond a few scratches there was nothing that seemed - wait. Neji wasn't wearing his Hitai-ate or bandages. His long hair was open and fell loosely over his shoulders, making him look younger and softer than he usually seemed. But his forehead was… the curse mark was gone. 

The long haired boy felt him staring in disbelief and avoided his eyes. He stood slowly, facing the Nara but keeping his eyes on the floor.

"It's gone." he said softly. "It wasn't there when I woke up."

Shikamaru crossed the room in a few long strides and stood right in front of the smaller man, intently staring at the other's smooth, blank forehead. He enclosed Neji's smaller body in his arms and gently hugged him to his chest before he could say any more.

"I'm so glad you're alive." he whispered into Neji's ear, his hand finding his way into Neji's hair and stroking it tenderly.  
Neji held on to him for dear life and they stood like that for several minutes until Shikamaru finally pulled back a little, his hands grasping both of Neji's pale hands and holding on to them.

"What's going to happen now?"

"I don't know." Neji sighed. 

"You can stay with me." Shikamaru offered quickly. "For as long as you want."

"I don't want to impose on your family."

"You're not imposing at all. I would be happy if you stayed with us."

"It could start a confrontation between our clans if you give me refuge. I don't want to cause any trouble for you."

"Honestly -"

"I could never repay you, if-"

"Neji, please… stay with me." Shikamaru asked, his dark eyes regarding him with a warmth and gentleness that was unexpected. It nearly took Neji's breath away for a moment.

"No repayment, no obligations. I just want to help."

Neji hesitated. "I'm not sure what they're going to do if they find out about all this. I know I can't go back to how things were but I can guarantee that they won't just let me go without any consequences."

 

"Leave all that to me," Shikamaru said, a gleam in his eye as he thought of a strategy. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tsunade sighed and took one last swing of her sake as several members of the Hyuuga clan entered, Hiashi and the clan elders.

She had reserved a formal meeting room for this as it was an important matter concerning one of the biggest and oldest clans of Konoha. 

Hyuuga Neji and the thorn in her side that was Nara Shikamaru were already present, kneeling on the traditional tatami floor off to the right side of the room. As the accusers they were seated away from the Hyuuga elders who all except Hiashi glared daggers at their young clan member as they entered the room and took their places. The Nara boy had spent days pestering her, researching Clan laws and how much influence a Hokage could take on Clan related disputes and he had not left her office until she had sent a formal invite to the Hyuuga Clan elders.

"I thank you all for your coming." Tsunade began, resisting the urge to rub her temples. Shikamaru had instigated this but as Hokage it was up to her make the decision on Neji's future. 

"As you might all be aware, Neji-kun has requested this meeting as to determine his future as-"

"Excuse my interruption, Hokage-sama" Hiashi began with a steady voice that betrayed nothing. "My nephew has not been home for several days; in fact he has not shown his face since the battle ended. I know that he was injured in the line of duty and left in the care of the medics. But I must say to be called into an... audience with yourself on such short notice and with no further explanation is highly unorthodox. I must demand that we be told what has been going on."

Several of the Hyuuga elders voiced their agreement to his words.

"Certainly, you will be told, Hiashi-San. I am not trying to withhold information regarding on of your clan members however it needs to be mentioned that things may very well stand differently now and his circumstances seem to have changed quite a bit."

She gestured to Neji who solemnly unraveled the bandaged that kept his forehead hidden exposing the unmarked skin beneath.

A collective gasp went through the elders of the Hyuuga clan. 

"Explain yourself, Neji!" ordered one of the elders.   
"What sort of trick is this?" Exclaimed another.

Hiashi took a moment to gather his thoughts before he turned to the only woman in the room.  
"If you had your hand in this Hokage-sama, you have broken the laws of the Hyuuga clan." 

"You will be pleased to hear that I had nothing to do with it, Hiashi."

"I died." Neji said softly but he might as well have screamed it. The room fell deadly silent. 

"I was gravely injured during the battle. My heart stopped." He explained, his hand coming rest on his chest as if he could feel a phantom pain at the memory.

"Somehow I escaped the clutches of death. But the seal had disappeared."

"We must place a new seal on him." Another elder spoke up.

"No." Neji interjected firmly. "I have lived my life serving the clan and it's heiress, all 18 years of it. When I died I was relieved of the burden of the curse seal." 

Hiroto-sama laughed disdainfully. "So you expect to be made part of the main branch because of this… freak incident? You are forgetting your place once again, boy. You belong to the lower branch and that is where you will remain."

"I won’t belong to either." Neji shook his head. "I will not go back into servitude but I don't wish to transition into the main house either. I don't want to be in competition with Hinata over the future lead of the clan. I request that I be allowed to remain part of the clan without belonging to either house."

"Your arrogance never fails to amaze me." taunted an especially old member sitting next to Hiashi. "You will do as you're told. A new mark will be placed on you and you will submit to the clan's rules and retake your place in the branch house."

"I refuse." Neji said calmly, having not expected for the elders to back down.

"Then we will exterminate you like the blood traitor you are!' shouted the old man, red faced and nearly spitting with sheer rage.

"You will do no such thing. You have no authority to execute a shinobi of Konoha, member of your clan or not. Such a decision obliges the Hokage alone and I won’t tolerate you overstepping the boundaries in this manner." Tsunade interjected loudly. "You have the option to exile him if you will not meet his request but I will not accept your threats to his life or abuse of any kind." she stared Hiroto in the face at that last part to let him know that she knew what he had tried to do. Hiashi noticed the look she was giving Hiroto and turned to look at the man as well. 

"You cannot undermine the Clan's decision to punish him as we see fit."

"That may have been the case during my grandfather's time as Hokage." Tsunade explained. "But times have changed and so have some of the laws. The 3rd Hokage may have overlooked many issues but the 4th Hokage introduced some new laws which gives the Kage greater influence to intervene. Just because nobody has previously enforced them doesn't mean that they're not there. As Neji is a great asset to this village and our Shinobi forces I will not allow him to be killed."

"In this case, Neji" Hiashi spoke up, "we will exile you from the clan henceforth. You will not be harmed but you may never step foot onto the Hyuuga clan lands ever again. You may no longer use the Hyuuga name."

Hiashi stood up as if to leave but turned to his nephew one last time.

"It seems that you have found an ally who is by your side. I hope that you will continue to take of my nephew, Nara-san." His gaze lingered on the young man for a moment as Shikamaru simply nodded silently, sharp eyes watching Hiashi closely.

"I regret that things had to end this way." Hiashi said before he turned and left the room, the rest of the Clan elders following him grudgingly.

When he had disappeared Neji took a deep breath. His hands were shaking and he felt almost dizzy. Shikamaru's warm tan hand came to rest on his and gave a gently squeeze. Neji looked up into his dark eyes which looked at him in concern. "Thank you, Shikamaru." he said simply. "And thank you Hokage-sama."

Tsunade had already taken possession of her sake bottle and poured herself a generous cup full.   
"The trouble I have with you damn kids. There better be a happy ever after. Now get lost."

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Arriving at the Nara residence felt strange to Neji. He had known where it was of course, but since it was a bit out of the way he had never actually walked past it. It was a traditional japanese style compound made of dark wood, some well-kept trees and shrubs in front of it. Behind the house started the Nara woods, which were forbidden to be entered by anyone not a Clansman or invited by one. 

He felt a bit like an intruder. He didn't carry anything more than the clothes he was wearing and would have to depend entirely on the Nara Clans' hospitality. Shikamaru had told him several times that it was no problem but was it really?

Shikamaru ushered him in, leaving their shoes in the corridor before stepping into the main part of the house.  
Shikamaru's father sat at the table with a newspaper spread out in front of him. 

"Hey, dad." Shikamaru greeted lazily while Neji's proper manners demanded that he give a customary bow and greeting.

"Good evening, Nara-san."

"Neji. Welcome." the tall man greeted back, a knowing smile on his face. Shikamaru really was his spitting image. Both had the exact same shape of face, eyes, and of course the customary Nara ponytail. Only the small goatee and the two large scars on the side of his face distinguished father from son.

"Oh there you are." came a female voice and Nara Yoshino stepped into the dining room, having heard them from the kitchen. She was smiling, too, obviously not surprised to see him.  
"It's good to meet you, Neji-kun."

"I'm honored to meet you, Nara-san." Neji said, bowing once more.

Yoshino looked at him strangely for a moment, as if she was unaccustomed to proper manners. 'Then again, maybe she is' Neji thought as Shikamaru loudly yawned next him to him and guided him to sit down at the table. "I'll get you something to drink. Are you hungry?"

"I am making dinner, Shikamaru, don't you dare have any snacks now." Yoshino chided and followed her son into the kitchen - probably to make sure he didn't sneak any chips.

"How did your… appointment go?" Shikaku asked casually, as if it was Neji hadn't just stepped into his house for the first time ever.

"As expected, I would say, Nara-san."

"So not going back to the Hyuuga compound anytime soon?"

"…No."

"Well, you can stay as long as you like. My Shikamaru seems to have taken quite a shine to you, which is unusual enough!" Shikaku laughed his raspy laugh and gathered his newspaper back up to fold it and put it away. Neji could literally feel himself blushing. What was the man saying - a shine? I mean sure, Shikamaru had asked him out and offered him refuge at his house but what was his father implying? How much did he know?

Shikaku didn't say anything more and his wife and son started carrying in drinks and food only a minute later.  
Dinner was more lighthearted in the Nara household than Neji had ever known. Shikamaru's parents made conversation, during much of it teasing their son for his trademark laziness and how they hoped he wouldn't rub off on their poor houseguest.

Neji wasn't worried that Shikamaru's bad habits would rub off on him. In fact, he felt quite at ease already in his home. For once, he did not feel on edge. At home, he could never feel a hundred percent safe or relaxed. There was always a main branch member around to gleefully remind him of his status. Here, with the Nara's he wasn't made to feel that he was worth less than them - they didn't even really treat him with the formality that you would usually a guest with. He was told to just grab from the fridge whatever he wanted and that he could just use or take whatever he needed. I was touching, really, how easily they accepted a stranger just because he was friends with their son.

After dinner, Yoshino made Shikamaru help her with the washing up but sent Neji upstairs to have a bath. As he sank into the soothing warm water he couldn't help but think back to the day's events. 

He was no longer a Hyuuga.

He had no right now to carry that name. He was now just Neji. No last name. No clan to belong to.   
He should have felt liberated, finally free of the oppression that had had to suffer for so many years. 

But the thought of being nameless just made him feel lonely. He hoped Hinata would be able to keep in touch and not be scared away from him by the Hyuuga elders. As for Hanabi… she was still so young. He felt bad about not being able to train with her anymore. Hopefully she would understand that he had to leave and not hold it against him.

And Shikamaru…

His father's word echoed in his mind. 'My Shikamaru seems to have taken quite a shine to you.'  
What did this mean? Had he just referred to their friendship? Or had he tried to insinuate something more? It's not that he didn't like Shikamaru, that much he was certain of. He would have even accepted the invitation to a date with the boy, if had had the freedom to make that choice back then. But now being essentially homeless he was in a much more vulnerable position.

Surely, Shikamaru would understand that he wasn't really ready yet to… throw himself into a relationship with the boy straight away. He was open to the idea but… he didn't really know much about dating or relationships at all. He had always known that one day; his uncle would marry him off to someone of his own choosing, and arrange a formal, traditional wedding. He would have gone from one type of servitude to another - first his clan, than a husband. But now, all that was gone. 

What would Shikamaru expect of him?

He sighed as he got out of the bath. He knew for sure that Shikamaru would never intentionally hurt him. There was no point worrying himself into a frenzy now. He had a new life now and there would be new experiences to come with it. And as long as he was with Shikamaru he would be safe.

As he got out of the bath he dressed in the soft plain yukata that Yoshino had set out for him and towel dried his hair as much as possible. When he stepped out of the bathroom, Shikamaru was there within seconds, as if he had been waiting just around the corner for him to finish bathing. The Nara showed him a guest room right across from his own and Neji contently got under freshly washed covers and fell asleep very quickly.


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry it’s been so long… I was stuck on this chapter for a bit but decided to just go ahead and publish it now. I may revise the fight scene at some stage but I know you folks are here for the romance so here goes!

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

The next few days flew in. Neji got used to Yoshino's overbearing way of showing hospitality and had learnt to say no to all the snacks, drinks and extra pillows after he had first found it impolite to refuse so often. He got used to Shikaku's knowing looks and absent smile. And most of all he got used to constantly being around Shikamaru pretty quickly.

He had felt very empty in the first few hours of his new life, not knowing what to do with himself from this point on.

"Take a nap." Shikamaru had suggested jokingly but had then thought about it for a moment and came back with: "Nothing really has to change unless you want it to. Train, take on missions… you could help me with the deer if you want… mating season is close."

For some reason that last statement nearly made Neji blush - before he mentally called himself an idiot. Deer. Deer mating season. Nothing to do with humans. At all. Had he always been such a pathetic horny teenager?

He did end up helping Shikamaru with the deer and quickly found that his was one of the few tasks the Nara didn't complain about too much.   
There was a bond between the Nara Clan and their deer which was hard to explain. Clearly, the deer were no pets. As the herd spotted Neji they quickly made their way in the opposite direction. It took Shikamaru a few minutes to convince them to stay. The largest stag, Rikumaru, seemed especially close to him, coming up to meet him, rubbing his large head against Shikamaru affectionately and then looking at Neji over his shoulder as if to ask "Who is he?"

Shikamaru laughed at the animals' distrust.  
"He's a guest, Rikumaru. Be nice." 

He beckoned Neji closer, who slowly complied so as not to spook the animal.

Shikamaru reached out and took Neji's hand in his to let the stag carefully take in the newcomer's scent. Shikamaru's fingers were warm and calloused and his tan skin made Neji's slightly smaller hand seem almost snow white. Rikumaru sniffed in what appeared to be approval and moved back to meet his herd. Shikamaru noticed that some of the younger stags were a bit restless, probably just old enough to challenge Rikumaru's claim to the females. Neji couldn't help but think that Shikamaru looked like a proud uncle as he talked about the young stags and all their different personality traits. They all looked kind of the same, Neji thought, but he listened to Shikamaru's words. Maybe one day he would be able to tell one from the other.

Shikamaru seemed in a very good mood after their afternoon spent up the hill with the herd and invited Neji to a quick dinner at the local market, where stalls sold dango and other snacks. 

Neji, while still thinking that Shikamaru was just plain lazy a good 50% of the time, could actually appreciate this calmer, more relaxed way of living a lot better than what he had anticipated. It was easy to get used to the easy-going way that Shikamaru lived and cared for him. He was not neglecting his training and tried to keep reasonable busy. It was just that the constant feeling of low-key discomfort of living at the Hyuuga compound was suddenly gone. 

For the first time in his life Neji felt that tight coil of tension and worry and defensiveness within himself loosen just a bit.

After lunch, Shikamaru led Neji to a pond in a clearing where you could listen to the birds chirping and watch the deer coming for to graze and drink from the water, the bustle of the village and everyday problems easily forgotten. They sat next to each other in the grass, shoulders and legs touching and it felt completely natural and relaxed. The late afternoon sun warmed his face and feeling it on his forehead that was now free and bare to the world was just indescribable. 

"It feels very strange," Neji began. "Not being a Hyuuga anymore."

"Hmmm." Shikamaru grunted but after a moment added "I'm sorry it ended this way, Neji."

Shikamaru's hand moved to grasp his in a gentle hold. Neji curled his fingers around his hand and gave a light squeeze. 

"Don't be. This was the best outcome I could have ever hoped for. It's just... an odd feeling. Having no clan anymore, no last name...."

"You'll always be welcome in the Nara clan, Neji. Not as prestigious as the Hyuuga Clan but still pretty okay, I reckon."

Neji chuckled. 

Their eyes met. 

And then Neji felt this odd sensation of his face relaxing and lips parting on their own accompanied by a pleasant tingle that he had no words in his vocabulary to describe. He could see the same expression mirrored by Shikamaru, dark half-lidded eyes intently focusing on his face and Neji was hit with the sudden realization that -oh- this was what it felt like when two people were about to kiss.

Shikamaru was the one to make the first move, carefully leaning in and bringing their faces so close together that Neji could feel his breath on his own. His lips gently touched Neji's in the most tender kiss and Neji was overcome with how soft and warm and intimate it was. His body felt almost weightless, like he was floating. Like there was nothing but Shikamaru's lips gently caressing his. 

They parted after a few minutes of kissing but Shikamaru kept his head close, their foreheads touching. 

Neji didn't really have the words to describe how nice it made him feel.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next mission they went on ended in disaster.

A rogue group from Kusagakure that was trying to stage a coup against the weakened government there. This in turn meant trying to get rid of the interfering Shinobi from Konoha who had been sent out to stop them. Not only had their intel completely wrong, it had in fact been intentionally been twisted around by the Kusa rougues who had been surprisingly smart in setting up several false leads in order to fool the enemy from Konoha. Shikamaru, who could only rely on the information he was given therefore planned out the formation in a way that was entirely detrimental to their success. 

Shikamaru's mind draw blank as he saw Neji bleeding on the forest floor. His breathing was laboured and blood was blooming dark red against the green of his green standard issue Jounin uniform. This was bad. Very bad.  
Screaming at a volume that surprised even himself, Shikamaru sharply ordered an immediate retreat. 

Fuck Kusagakure. 

\-------

Neji woke in the night, coughing and spluttering. The movement upset his injured side and a searing pain shot through him. Through the hazy fog that clogged up his mind he barely recognized that he was back at Shikamaru's house, the moonlight illuminating the omnipresent images of deer on the wall. The minty-sharp smell of strong medicine hung in the air.   
Shikamaru was by his side in seconds, applying more ointment and fresh bandages to his ravaged body, stroking his hair and whispering sweet nothings in a voice so calm and deep that Neji drifted off back to sleep, leaving the spinning hazy room behind for the blissful darkness of sleep. 

The next time Neji awoke early morning birds were singing outside. He could tell that the sun must have just started rising by the absence of white light through his closed eyelids. He tried to lift his hand up to his head as if it would easy the pounding headache he woke up with but he couldn't find the energy to do so. The pain was still immense, he could feel it pulsating through his body and his limbs felt as heavy as solid lead. 

When he finally opened his eyes Hiroshi-sama was staring down at him. A stone cold rush of dread and fear made his blood run cold. Before he could make a sound a cloth was placed over his mouth and nose and a strong alcoholic smell invaded his senses. Within seconds everything went dark again.

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shikamaru woke up when it was still dark. For a moment the blissful warmth threatened to drag him back into sleep but then he felt like there was something important he was forgetting… something like….. Oh. He remembered now, the fight, Neji's injury, Neji sleeping restlessly in the guest bedroom… He listened out for any sound but there was nothing but the early morning birds chirping outside his window. 

Suddenly he felt that he should really go and check up on Neji. Just to make sure he was okay.  
He was on his feet and out the door within a second.

Neji wasn't there. He wasn't in his bed and he wasn't in the bathroom either.  
He wasn't in the kitchen. He wasn't in the lounge.

Perhaps he hadn't been able to sleep and had gone outside....?  
Shikamaru searched for him in the garden, around the pond and even in front of the house.  
With every passing moment he grew more restless. 

Had Neji left? Ignoring the painful tug in his heart the young Nara tried to find a rational explanation. 

'Perhaps Hinata came to see him.... Maybe they went for a walk....'

In the middle of the night though?

Hinata wouldn't be allowed out of the compound at random hours of the night and surely she would some see Neji during the daytime anyway. Had something happened?

Had something bad happened?

He raced upstairs to wake his mother. His father wasn't currently in the village, having been sent out to deal with the whole Kusagakure mess that Shikamaru's own squad hadn't been able to handle and-

Of course.

They knew Shikaku wouldn't be around tonight.   
They knew that his Chunin son wouldn't be able to protect him by himself.  
They knew that Neji was injured and easy prey.

Shikamaru stopped dead in front of his parent's bedroom.

No. He wouldn't wake his mother who would go and complain to the council.  
Underhanded tactics could only be fought with underhanded tactics. 

The Hyuuga clan was playing dirty and damn if Shikamaru couldn't do the same. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Neji was in so much pain that he couldn't stop crying. He couldn't stop the tortured noises coming out of him that even to his own ears sounded more animal than human. His face was wet with tears and he could barely see but he couldn’t move his arms to wipe his face.

Hiroto had just dropped him on the hard wooden floor like a sack of potatoes.   
It aggravated all his wounds and broken bones to the point he could barely breathe. Like his heart wasn't pumping enough blood through him. Like his lungs were on the verge of just giving up.

Hiroto had seen the extent of his injuries of course and had dropped him on purpose.  
Through the haze of torturous pain Neji could suddenly feel another thing, one that he wasn't actually all that familiar with.

Fear. 

Hiroto was past just secretly abusing him and letting him go afterwards. Those days were over. He was serious now.   
He was hurting him on purpose now, inflicting severe pain for no reason other than because he could.

A thought shot through Neji's foggy mind.

I am going to die here tonight.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shikamaru was a man who knew how to work with limited resources.

With most shinobi currently out battling the rogue Kusa-Nin or protecting their weakened government from continued assassination attempts he didn't have many options. And even amongst the few options he had who would willingly go up against the mighty Hyuuga Clan in what would likely end up in a physical altercation? 

He was sure that the Hyuuga clan had abducted Neji, the only question was whether they wanted to get rid of him straight away or not. 

Shikamaru was also a man who could channel his rage into something productive.

As the future head of his own Clan Shikamaru was livid that someone from another Clan had dared to not only cross into the Nara territory but had abducted someone in their care. This was a serious affront and it could not go unpunished, Hyuuga or no Hyuuga. 

The first step of his personal vendetta was to go get Hinata. She would be prepared to fight for her cousin, even if it meant confronting someone from her own Clan - besides as the Hyuuga heiresses she may hold some sway over her clan members.

Standing outside the Hyuuga compound at what he considered a safe distance Shikamaru carefully sent a shadowy tendril towards what he knows to be Hinata's window. Thank god his brain stored so much random trivia, he wouldn't have known which window was hers had Kiba, the lovesick fool, not pointed it out in his endless pining over the girl. 

He was now also glad that his father and Asuma both forced his to spend some time fine-tuning his skills with the shadows. The tendril climbed the outside wall of the compound like a vine and then gently knocked on the window.

Hinata's confused sleepy face appeared just a few seconds later, staring at the shadow as if recognising it vaguely but unable to place it - then she spotted Shikamaru and her face went pale. 

She waved for him to stay where he was and appeared through the main gates a few minutes later.

"Shikamaru-kun! What are you doing here at this time of night? Did something happen?"

The brunette considered how to put it without making the girl freak out but there really was no time to sugar-coat anything. 

"Neji's gone. I believe someone from your Clan took him."

"Took him?! From your house?" Hinata whispered harshly, looking over her shoulder towards the silent Hyuuga compound. 

"Yes. Can you try and find him?"

"Yes, of course, let's just go behind the tree line..."

She looked back over her shoulder again as she started walking and Shikamaru was glad that she understood the direness of the situation. Once hidden from immediate sight Hinata activated the Byakugan. 

"Hmmm...I'm....I'm not sure.... I can't make him out anywhere....he must be quite far away... Let me get my sister, she can see further than me."

So Hinata headed back in, leaving Shikamaru to worriedly pace in circles until she reappeared with a small girl the Hyuuga- typical long straight black hair. Hanabi's face was impassive and serious as she, already filled in by Hinata, activated her Byakugan.

"I can see him." she said after a moment of deep concentration.

"And... Hinata. Hiroto-sama is with him."

"Oh god no." Hinata muttered, wiping her long hair out of her face.

"Who?" Shikamaru asked sharply.

Hanabi's mouth is set in a firm line and Hinata is looking for the right words for a moment.

"He is... A Hyuuga elder. He... He has tried to ...uhm...hurt Nii-san in the past..."

Shikamaru's eyebrows shot up at that. "What, you mean.... in a sexual kind of way??"

Hinata blushed and frowned at the same time, leaving her expression conflicted and full of dread.

"Your Clan is seriously fucked up." Shikamaru mumbled angrily but tried to keep his rage under wraps. For later.   
"We need to get to him right away."

Hanabi lead the way, through the village and over the wall and into the forest. She lead them far out into the middle of nowhere and Shikamaru was clinging on to the hope that they would find Neji before it was too late. 

In fact, he couldn't let him himself think of any other possibility. The fact that there was some evil uncle in the background who has been plaguing Neji the whole time and had been trying to lay his hands on him.... It made Shikamaru want to tear him to shreds. Tear the whole fucking Clan and it's inhumane two-house system to shreds. 

Hanabi pointed out an old building in the distance just when Shikamaru started to wonder if she would really be able to find Neji. Carved out off the side of a cliff beside a river, with tall smooth stone columns and an ornate though overgrown roof, it appeared to be an old abandoned shrine. Both Hyuuga girls seemed to recognize the place and the old cracked Hyuuga crest carved from stone over the front door loomed over them like an ominous sign. 

"He knows we're here" Hanabi announced, her white eyes scanning the area.   
"Shikamaru - Hiroto-sama is a Jounin, one of the strongest members of the Hyuuga clan. Neither of us has a chance of beating him in direct combat."

"No." Shikamaru said, staring at the pink tinge over the horizon announcing daybreak. "Not alone anyway. But together we can do it."

Hiroto was waiting for them inside. It was a large round room with at least 20 or 30 stone columns arranged in a circle around the outside wall, interrupted only be a large shrine that artfully displayed the Hyuuga's most ancient ancestors and a myriad of long winding dragons and delicately carved flower arrangements. Moonlight streamed through a round stained glass window in the ceiling, bathing the room in an ominous glow.

The display of wealth and opulence oddly made the situation seem even more dangerous. This was Hyuuga home turf almost as much as their compound was, almost like a manifestation of their power. Shikamaru didn't know the building or the terrain. Already up against a much stronger opponent, the young Nara felt his palms getting sweaty. 

He needed to keep his cool now. He had to think of a strategy, engage in direct combat as little as possible and keep his pokerface on while he did so. He reckoned he could survive being struck once or twice by the Jonin's gentle fist technique but that was probably it. So long range shadow attacks and whatever trickery he could come up with on the spot would have to do. No pressure then. 

"Hinata, get Neji somewhere safe." 

The girl glanced at him for a second as if to argue but thought better of it and, with Hanabi's help, hefted her cousin off the ground and carried him to safety. Shikamaru did not take his eyes off his opponent.

There was really only one way out of this while avoiding direct hits. He would just have to make sure the Hyuuga was angry enough not to notice what he was doing. 

He released a shadow tendril, making sure it was in plain sight. Have this guy think he was trying to take him on in an open fight. He made the tendril whip forward with speed. Of course Hiroto dodged it easily; Shikamaru had not expected any less from a Hyuuga elder. A small crack formed in the column he had hit instead and Shikamaru supressed his smile, pretending to be surprised at Hiroto's speed. If he could keep his cool, he might be able to do this. 

"You must be so proud of yourself, kidnapping an injured boy from his bed in the dead of night."  
Shikamaru drawled, watching Hiroto's expression sour.

"The little traitor deserves no better." Hiroto spat.  
Man, this guy had a nasty temper. 

Shikamaru lash out with with his shadows again, this time several at once. He had to make an effort to make it look like he was directly fighting the man. Hiroto dodged and Shikamaru again hit the stone columns behind him. More cracks.

If he could lure the man around in a circle he could probably topple the building down on top of him.

The Nara lashed out a few more times, damaging the columns as much as he could before Hiroto decided to actually try and land a blow on him with the gentle fist. 

"You have a chance to leave now, boy. Turn around no, go back to Konoha and you will escape unharmed."

Shikamaru sneered, putting the act on as thick as he could.  
"Quite talkative for a Hyuuga, aren't you?"

Then suddenly the fight became serious, Hiroto coming at him at a flying pace that Shikamaru could only barely dodge.   
The gentle first came flying at him so fast he could almost not see the movement and the Nara could all but run and scramble behind some of the columns which burst into a spray of dust and debris at contact with the gentle fist. 

"We are descendants of gods, you foolish boy! You should go back to your commoner Clan before I kill you!"

"Wow, 'commoner Clan'? Really?" Shikamaru deadpanned. 

Hiroto struck again, only missing the Nara's head by an inch. 

"It's true the Nara Clan isn't descended from gods or whatever - still think that's an old wives' tale by the way - but we've got something you don't seem to have."

"And what is that?" Hiroto spat at him aggressively. 

Shikamaru's mouth twitches upward in a wry smile just when thick shadowy tendril he had hidden away smashed into the columns right behind Hiroto-sama, sending dust and debris flying and collapsing the columns on top of his enemy.

"Common sense."

Shikamaru hopes that this was enough but he doesn't think his manoeuvre was fast enough to bring down a Jounin. 

The dust settles slowly and he can see the man staggering out of the debris, bleeding, but very much alive. 

"You dare defy me?! I am your superiour! I wasn't going to kill the only heir to the Nara Clan but you've gone too far. I will drown you like the little rat you are!" 

The man lunges at him, faster than before - too fast to react. 

Shikamaru spins and falls and lands hard on the jagged rocks on the river bed.   
The pain is blinding for a moment, the fall knocking the wind out of him completely. There is something wet engulfing his leg and he knows that it's blood. 

There's footsteps close to his ear but he can't move-

Hiroto kicks him in the stomach so hard that Shikamaru topples further down towards the river. He is dry heaving now, panicking, forgetting all his tactics and ideas and just tries to scramble away so he can catch his breath - 

Another kick rolls him over and into the dark water.  
The river is shallow here but deep enough to drown a person lying on the ground.

The heavy weight of a foot presses against the side of his face, submerging his nose and mouth.

I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die! - is all the brunette can think now, true panic setting in now as he struggles to get the weight off of his head.

An instinctual part of him reaches for his Kekke Genkai, finding the closest shadows that he can use and it's only thin long shadows of grasses and weeds - 

The shadow whips at his assailant and is just enough to get the man off of him. The uneven ground makes the Hyuuga lose his footing for just a second and it's just enough for Shikamaru's survival instincts to get him on his feet and out of the water. 

He splutters and coughs harshly while finding more shadows to protect himself with.   
The Nara takes a step backwards and nearly slips on some wet stones on the ground as the Hyuuga takes another step towards him, his face contorted in anger. 

This is it. 

Shikamaru knows that only one of them will be going back.  
Neji's fate rests on him now. If he loses now, there is no telling what this monster will do to him.

There is a cut just under his hairline that seeps bright red blood over his face and his leg got cut on a jugged rock in the fall. 

The Hyuuga is bleeding in various places, too. He cradles his right arm to his chest and Shikamaru prays that he is incapacitated enough not to be able to use all the Hyuuga techniques properly.

This is it.

No more planning, no more schemes. There is nothing here than he can use in a fight and no time to set up any traps.   
He is just going to have to do this the old fashioned way.

The adrenaline of nearly having been drowned is pumping through him, making his hands shake. 

"I'm going to kill you." the Hyuuga ground out between his teeth.   
"I will throw your corpse at your worthless family's feet so that they may remember their place in life."

"And then I will get to your precious Neji."  
The sadistic smile in his face is the ugliest thing Shikamaru has ever seen and is almost irreconcilable with Neji's beautiful features even though all Hyuugas normally look so much alike. 

"I will teach that little whore to respect his elders. I will put him exactly where he belongs. On his knees."

A memory of Neji's broken and battered body springs into Shikamaru's mind and the unwelcome image of him being forced to his knees screaming in pain and Shikamaru's blood boils.

"You will not touch him!" he shouts, his voice rough and nearly breaking.  
"You have no right to fucking touch him!"

Hiroto laughs at that, it sounds almost genuinely joyful.

"You're just jealous that he won't be sucking your dick."

Shikamaru's anger erupts at that and the time for words is over. Sharp shadows whip up and towards his enemy like a dozen swords. Hiroto jumps out of the way and get away with only a nick to his shoulder.

He turns in graceful Hyuuga fashion and comes at Shikamaru again - but he attacks with his left arm only.  
Another shadow whips up from the ground, small and slim, as Shikamaru is starting to lose his grasp but it's enough to hit Hiroto's right side. The wound is not big but deep and blood squirts out from it immediately.

"You bastard!" Hiroto screams in anger, any pretence of Hyuuga composition now gone and lunges.

Shikamaru does the only thing he can and runs. 

He tries to summon more shadows but it's really hard now to lift them off the ground.  
There's only one thing that can help him now - more sun. 

Behind the cliff that the shrine sits on Shikamaru can see the morning sun illuminating the rocks, he just needs to get there before Hiroto gets to him.

He runs as fast as he can, lungs burning, trying to ignore the stabbing pain in his leg but he's too slow.

Hiroto lands another blow in his back and Shikamaru falls again, stumbling down the embankment, clothes and skin shredding on the sharp rocks. He can hear Hiroto's harsh breathing. The man is injured and losing strength as well. 

The brunette drags himself back up, stumbles, puts too much weight on the injured leg that hurts so so bad now.

But he has to make it, he has to, otherwise he's dead and Neji will meet a fate even worse than death.

He has one last shot now, can bundle only enough energy for one last attack with his Kekke Genkai and then he's either victorious or dead. 

He crosses over the line that separates the dark shadowy side of the mountain and the one that is basking in glorious morning light. The warmth hits Shikamaru straight away and he reaches out, feeling for the shadows.

The Jounin is coming towards him, slower than before but with a rage in his eyes that is frighteningly murderous.

The range of his attacks is now severely limited and he can't stretch his shadows out too much if he wants to land a half decent attack. And then Hiroto jumps at him one last time, flying at him, his left hand outstretched and the ominous blue light around it that Shikamaru knows can easily kill him.

And then it's all over in just a second. 

Shikamaru sees the fingers coming for his throat and sidesteps but not far enough. Blood bursts forth from his neck but he isn't dead yet. He summons all remaining energy that he has and fires it into the shadows he'd connected to. 

The burst forward, hardening, sharpening-

They connect with soft tissue in a disgusting squelch that Shikamaru can physically feel.  
He can feel the pulsating of a heart that beats erratically and then comes to a spluttering halt. 

Shikamaru falls backwards onto the hard ground beneath him, his skull bounces but his body is so numb now he can barely feel it.

Hiroto falls to the floor right next to him, face forward.

The world spins as the adrenaline fades and all Shikamaru can think of before his world goes dark is Neji's gently smiling face.


End file.
